Alekhine, Alexander VS Hromadka, Karel 1922.04.21

Annotations

Game 67 in the book: A. Alekhin—K. Hromadka, International Tournament at Pistyan, April 1922. A Queen’s Gambit Declined annotated by Alekhine, who plays White.

1. 4…Qb6 Played for the first time by Süchting against Schlechter at the Carlsbad Tournament, 1911. The best reply to this move seems to be 5. P—B 5, Q—B 2; 6. P—K Kt 3!, followed by 7. B—B 4. The line of play which still gives Black the most chances is in my opinion 4. ….P×P, followed by 5. ….P—Q Kt 4 and, if needed, P—Kt 5 etc. (See Game No. 71).
2. 5.e3 Solid, but without vigour. As we shall see later, Black could have equalised the game at a certain stage.
3. 7…Bd7 Best. If 7. ….Kt—B 3; 8. Kt—K 5, B—Q 2; 9. B—Kt 5, P—K 3; 10. Kt×B, Kt×Kt; 11. P—K 4! with an attack similar to that in the present game, after White’s 13th move.
4. 11.Ne5 White has not secured an advantage of development sufficient to be able to exploit the pinning of Black’s Q Kt, especially against a correct defence.
5. 11…Qa7 It is solely owing to this loss of time that White succeeds in getting up an attack. The right move was 11. ….Q—Kt 5! provoking the exchange of Queens and unpinning the Knight, after which Black would have had nothing to fear. Whereas now, for want of being able to Castle, his position in the centre will be completely demolished.
6. 13.e4 The commencement of a dangerous offensive whose result will be the formation of a strong passed Pawn in the centre. The following moves of Black are practically forced, because he must necessarily and at all costs prevent the opening of the King’s file.
7. 16.a4 Before recapturing the Pawn, it is not unnecessary to provoke a new weakness in the adverse Queen-side.
8. 17…Qb7 If 17. ….B—B 4; 18. B—K 3!, B×B; 19. Kt—Q 6 ch, K—K 2; 20. Kt—B 5 ch followed by 21. P×B, with a very strong attack.
9. 19…Be7 Black vainly hopes to bring his King under cover.
10. 20…g6 Forced, for if 20. ….Castles; 21. B—R 6.
11. 21.Bg5 Definitely fixing the Black King in the centre, which, in conjunction with the numerous weaknesses in his position, ends in a rapid collapse by Black. Indeed, he can play without disadvantage neither 21. ….P—B 3, on account of 22. Q—K 6, nor 21. ….P—B 4, on account of 22. Q—R 4!, and has nothing better than the exchange of Bishops, which deprives him of Castling.
12. 23.Qh4+ In order to provoke a new weakness in the position of the adverse Pawns.
13. 25.Qf5 Among other things, threatening 26. Q×P ch followed by 27. Kt—Q 6 ch.
14. 26.b3 26. Kt—B 6 would be premature, on account of 26. ….R—B 5.
15. 27.Nf6 The decisive move. If 27. ….Kt×Kt; 28. P—Q 6 ch!
16. 28…Qc8 If 28. ….Q×Kt; 29. Q×K P ch, K—Q 1; 30. Q R—B 1, R×R; 31. R×R and White wins.
17. 29.d6+ Winning a Rook after 29. ….K—Q 1; 30. Q—B 6 ch, K×Kt; 31. Q—K 7 ch, K—B 3; 32. P—Q 7.

Alexander Alekhine, My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923 (1927) · Public domain · source